Cable raceways for modular system furniture

Abstract

A modular panel system having a plurality of panels connected together, each of the panels would normally be of a rectangular configuration, the panels being connected together by means of a vertically extending member which is secured to side walls of the panels and an elongated flexible interconnecting member having first and second longitudinally extending side marginal edges and an enlarged edge portion designed to be retained by the vertically extending member. A U-shaped raceway member which may be placed on either the top or bottom of a panel or between panels to provide for horizontal cables.

I claim:  
     
       1. A modular panel system comprising: 
       a panel, said panel having first and second opposed major faces, a frame comprised of a top wall, a bottom wall, and first and second side walls;  
       connecting means located on at least one of said side walls for interconnecting said side wall to an adjacent side wall of an adjacent panel;  
       said connecting means comprising a vertically extending member secured to said side wall, an elongated flexible interconnecting member having first and second longitudinally extending side marginal edges, each of said side marginal edges having means for attachment to said vertically extending member;  
       and a cable raceway extending horizontally along at least one of said top and bottom walls, said cable raceway being secured to said at least one of said top and bottom walls;  
       said vertically extending member comprising a base secured to said side wall, a pair of outwardly extending flanges located along side marginal edges of said base, each of said flanges having a longitudinally extending groove, and each of said side marginal edges of said elongated flexible interconnecting member having an enlarged edge portion designed to fit within and be retained by one of said grooves.  
     
     
       2. The system of claim  1  wherein said flange further includes apertures located therein designed to receive at least one bracket. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim  1  wherein said top wall, bottom wall, first and second side walls of said frame comprise hollow tubular members. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim  1  further including legs to support said panel, said legs being adjustable to vary the height of said panel, and a flexible member extending along said bottom wall, said flexible member being height adjustable to extend between said bottom wall and a floor. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim  4  further including insulation between said first and second opposed major faces, a plurality of retaining clips mounted on an interior face of each of said frame members, said retaining clips being designed to retain said insulation. 
     
     
       6. The modular panel system of claim  2  wherein each of said outwardly extending flanges of said vertically extending members includes a second groove formed therein, and a longitudinally extending finishing moulding being retained by each of said second grooves to conceal said apertures. 
     
     
       7. The modular panel system of claim  1  further including a cover moulding placed on said top wall, said cover moulding including a longitudinally extending cable receiving space located therein. 
     
     
       8. The modular panel system of claim  1  further including a wood insert secured to an exteriorly facing surface of each of said frame members. 
     
     
       9. The modular panel system of claim  7  wherein said cover molding comprises a base secured to said top wall, and a pair of arms hingedly connected to said base, said arms being moveable in between open and closed positions. 
     
     
       10. A modular panel system comprising: 
       a plurality of panels, each panel having first and second opposed major faces, a frame comprised of a top wall, a bottom wall and first and second side walls;  
       a first one of said panels being located adjacent to a second one of said panels such that a first side wall of said first panel is adjacent to a second side wall of said second panel;  
       connecting means located on said first side wall of said first panel and on said second side wall of said second panel;  
       said connecting means comprising a vertically extending member secured to each of said first side wall of said first panel and said second side wall of said second panel, an elongated flexible interconnecting member having first and second longitudinally extending side marginal edges, each of said side marginal edges having an enlarged edge portion;  
       each of said vertically extending members having a groove located therein designed to receive said enlarged edge portion of said elongated flexible interconnecting member;  
       and a cable raceway extending horizontally along at least one of said top and bottom walls of at least one of said first and second panels.  
     
     
       11. The modular panel system of claim  10  wherein said first and second panels extend substantially perpendicularly with respect to each other, and further comprising a reinforcing member secured to each of said first side wall of said first panel and said second side wall of said second panel. 
     
     
       12. The modular panel system of claim  11  further including a finishing moulding extending vertically between said vertically extending members. 
     
     
       13. The modular panel system of claim  10  further including legs to support each of said panels, said legs being adjustable to vary the height of a respective panel, and a flexible member extending along said bottom wall of said panel, said flexible member being height adjustable to extend between said bottom wall and the floor. 
     
     
       14. The modular panel system of claim  10  wherein said cable raceway comprises a U-shaped member having a base and a pair of side walls, and at least one of said walls having a flexible portion extending longitudinally thereof to permit hinged movement of a portion of said side wall. 
     
     
       15. The modular panel system of claim  10 , comprising three panels, said panels extending at an angle of 120° with respect to each other, each of said panels being joined to an adjacent panel by means of said elongated flexible interconnecting member.